Lovely Molly (2011) Review

Although happy as a couple, Molly isn’t as happy as she can be due to Tim working away as a truck driver.

On their first night in the old house, the security alarm sounds and the police are called, but nothing than the back door being open is found. This only makes Molly more nervous when Tim has to leave for work.

As Molly goes about sorting the house out she records her activities and keeps a bit of a video diary. But soon, old memories are stirred up and with Tim being away, Molly heads towards a downward spiral.

Molly starts to hear noises and see things that are beyond her own understanding. With an overwhelming presence of something more than just a simple haunting, it triggers off her own disturbing behavior, her job is effected as well as her home life with Tim.

Molly is convinced she is seeing her dead father and she soon develops old habits which Tim can’t handle on his own. The local priest tries to help as well as Molly’s sister, Hannah.

As supernatural forces close in on Molly, she loses control of her mind and the world around her. In turn, the traumatic childhood she suffered starts to haunt, not just Molly, but everyone else in her life.

This was one of my most anticipated movies this year and I was NOT disappointed!

Not just well written with good direction, the cast are solid from start to finish. Gretchen Lodge gives a near perfect performance as the ill fated Molly. Her execution of the pivotal role makes you connect to the character and everyone else involved.

The SFX are very simple, no CGI to mention as it’s not needed. Rather then the blatant use of cheap scares, which a lot of horrors rely on and fail with, the movie is filled with tension and an overtone of creepiness throughout by the use of the score and what you don’t see.

The story is not so simple though and will leave a few people confused. The abused childhood at the hands of Molly’s father is an obvious one but there’s also the underlining presence, that is not necessarily her father, but something more sinister. On occasion it switches to the hand held camera that Molly carries and some of these scenes seem random, but it all ties in well near the end of the film. I would highly recommend visiting the official website after watching the movie.

The movie is a slow burn, but what it lacks in pase, is made up for with bucket loads of tensive suspense. However, that means fans of all out gore and constant scares might not like this. This isn’t an in your face movie, but rather gets your brain twisted which pulls you into the story.

Eduardo Sánchez, who gave us The Blair Witch Project (1999), faded into the background a bit with Altered (2006) and Seventh Moon (2008), but thankfully he’s returned to form with Lovely Molly.

I loved Lovely Molly and lovely she was. I felt drawn in by everything that happened and with the complete mind rape of an ending, this is up there in my list of top movies this year!

Director – Eduardo Sánchez
Writers – Eduardo Sánchez & Jamie Nash

The Cast –
Gretchen Lodge as Molly
Johnny Lewis as Tim
Alexandra Holden as Hannah
Ken Arnold as Samuels
Field Blauvelt as Pastor Bobby